Joint Statement on the Education of Future Teachers
Statement
In 1999, the AIP member societies, including the American Institute of Physics (AIP), the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), and the APS endorsed the following statement about science teacher preparation.
The scientific societies listed below urge the physics community, specifically physical science and engineering departments and their faculty members, to take an active role in improving the pre-service training of K-12 physics/science teachers. Improving teacher training involves building cooperative working relationships between physicists in universities and colleges and the individuals and groups involved in teaching physics to K- 12 students. Strengthening the science education of future teachers addresses the pressing national need for improving K-12 physics education and recognizes that these teachers play a critical education role as the first and often-times last physics teacher for most students. While this responsibility can be manifested in many ways, research indicates that effective pre-service teacher education involves hands-on, laboratory-based learning. Good science and mathematics education will help create a scientifically literate public, capable of making informed decisions on public policy involving scientific matters. A strong K-12 physics education is also the first step in producing the next generation of researchers, innovators, and technical workers.
Endorsing Societies
- Acoustical Society of America
- American Association of Physicists in Medicine
- American Association of Physics Teachers
- American Astronomical Society
- American Institute of Physics
- American Physical Society
- American Vacuum Society
- Optical Society of America
Endorsing Colleges and Universities
In April of 2003, the APS wrote to all physics department heads in colleges and universities in the U.S. asking for their departments to endorse the above statement. Currently, the following 360 departments have given their endorsement. To add your physics department's endorsement, write to Gabe Popkin at APS. Endorsements must come from the current physics department head.
The APS welcomes endorsements from physics departments outside the US.
| Abilene Christian University Albertson College of Idaho Alma College Amherst College Anderson University Andrews University Angelo State University Appalachian State University Arizona State University Auburn University Augsburg College Augusta State University Ball State University Baylor University Bemidji State University Binghamton University, SUNY Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Boise State University Boston University Bowdoin College Bowling Green State University Bridgewater College Bridgewater State College Brigham Young University Brigham Young University-Idaho Bryn Mawr College Buffalo State College CUNY, City College CUNY, Lehman College California Institute of Technology California University of Pennsylvania California Lutheran University California Poly Pomona California Poly, San Luis Obispo California State University, Chico California State University, Long Beach California State University, Sacramento Calvin College Carleton College Case Western Reserve University Casper College Catholic University of America Chatham University Chicago State University Christian Brothers University Christopher Newport University Chuvash State Teacher Training University Claflin University Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clark University Colby College Colgate University College of Notre Dame of Maryland College of St. Catherine College of William & Mary Colorado School of Mines Columbia University Connecticut College Cornell University Davidson College Delaware State University Denison University DePaul University Dickinson College Dillard University Dodge City Community College Dordt College East Carolina University East Central University Eastern Illinois University Elon University Elmhurst College Emporia State University Erskine College Fairmont State University Florida A & M University Florida Institute of Technology Florida International University Fort Hays State University Francis Marion University George Washington University Georgia Southern University Georgia State University Georgian Court College Gettysburg College Goshen College Grand Valley State University Guilford College Haifa University-Campus Oranim Hamilton College Hamline University Harding University Harvard University Harvey Mudd College Haverford College Hillsdale College Hiram College Hofstra University Hope College Howard University Idaho State University Illinois Institute of Technology Illinois State University Indiana University - Purdue University Fort Wayne Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana University South Bend Iowa State University Jackson State University Jacksonville State University James Madison University Johns Hopkins University Johnson C. Smith University Juniata College Kalamazoo College Kansas State University Kennesaw State University Kent State University Kenyon College King College La Sierra University Lafayette College Lewis University Lincoln University Lone Star College-North Harris Longwood University Loras College Louisiana State University Loyola University Chicago Loyola College in Maryland Manhattanville College Marshall University Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Massachusetts Institute of Technology McNeese State University Medaille College Mercer University Miami University Michigan State University Michigan Technological University Middle State Tennessee University Middlebury College Millersville University Millikin University Minnesota State University Moorhead Misericordia University Mississippi State University Missouri University of Science and Technology Monmouth College Montana State University Morehouse College Morgan State University Morningside College Muhlenberg College Murray State University New Mexico Highlands University North Carolina State University North Carolina A & T State University North Central College North Georgia College and State University Northern Michigan University Northwestern State University Northwestern Oklahoma State University Oakland University Oberlin College Oglethorpe University Ohio State University Oklahoma City University Oregon State University Pacific University Pennsylvania State University Pittsburg State University Pomona College Princeton University Principia College Purdue University-West Lafayette Radford University Randolph College Randolph-Macon College Reed College |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
Endorsing Laboratories
- National Superconducting Cyclotron Lab
PhysTEC
To address the need for more and better-educated K-12 physics and physical science teachers, the APS, AIP, and AAPT initiated the Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC) project in 2001.
PhysTEC Website
